Arena player death felt here in Albany

Albany - South Georgia Wildcats fullback/linebacker Rendell Jackson left the team on Monday.

One day after the death of his good friend Al Lucas.

The Macon native died from an apparent spinal cord injury on Sunday when he was attempting to make a tackle for the Los Angeles Avengers in Arena Football League.

Wildcats coach Chris Siegfried was very understanding of Jackson's decision to leave the team and told Jackson that he would help him anyway possible as the long time AF2 veteran deals with the tragic loss of Lucas.

Siegfried says Rendell Jackson is widely known throughout the AF2 and is one of the league's most respected players.

Siegfried says Jackson's wife and child live in Atlanta and he was driving back and forth between Albany and Atlanta to play for the Wildcats.

Al Lucas' younger Lenny played Saturday night for the Macon Knights against the South Georgia Wildcats at the Albany Civic Center.

In other Wildcats news, kicker Wes Virgilio will have his knee examined Tuesday.

Team officials fear Virgilio may have tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday's loss to the Macon Knights.

Siegfried also indicated he is planning to retool the roster before the Wildcats second game of the season which is this Friday night at Louisville.

The Wildcats next home game is April 30th against the Albany Conquest.